" San Gimignano...Bella Torre e piu." San Gimignano by sargentjeff

San G is a beautiful little medieval city in Tuscany. Here you will see beautiful countryside, ancient buildings, and taste some fantastic wine. When visiting the Tuscany region of Italy, San Gimignano is a must see. At one time there were around 100 towers here, but now only 13 remain.
In 1199 it bacame a free munincipal area, but kue to internal power struggles it eventually split into two factions, one headed by the Ardinghelli family (Guelphs), and the other by the Salvucci family (Ghibellines). On 8 May 1300 Dante Alighieri went to San G as the Ambassador of the Guelph faction in Tuscany. In 1348 San Gimignano's population stricken by the Black Plague, and the city was forced into submission to Florence in 1353.
The towers date back to the 11th and 13th centuries. Pisa, Siena and Florence influenced the towers constructino, and there are 14th century paintings of the Sienese School to be seen and 15th century paintings of the Florentine School.

We loved this place, and were able to stay in the Hotel Cisterna right in the center of town. We arrived late one night, and didn't have reservations, so we couldn't be picky. Driving my truck through town was difficult, but it's also something I'll never forget.

Chevy S-10 ZR2 in San Gimignano, 2001

Our truck is parked here in the center of the city near La Cisterna. It's a well, and also the name of the hotel we stayed in. It was pretty funny to see the Italians, and many Germans checking out such a big vehicle for Europeans.

View from Hotel Cisterna

One of my favorite places in Italy, Tuscany is not to be missed, and I'll always have an affection for the rolling hills, vineyards, and fantastic wine. I love the people from the south more, and the food as well, but Tuscany is quite a place indeed.

• Pros:A must see in Tuscany
• Cons:Streets are very narrow, and tough to drive on
• In a nutshell:You must go here to experience some fantastic parts of Italy